Six months after sexual harassment complaints were filed against a visually impaired government school teacher in Tamil Nadu’s Chengalpattu district, police have failed to charge the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act. The accused, NK Chokkalingam, is alleged to have sexually harassed several female students over the years, as well as a teacher, while working at the school.
A complaint was filed against him at the Selayur All Women’s Police Station (AWPS) on July 11, 2024, by representatives of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA). However, as of February 2025, the police are yet to file a First Information Report (FIR).
Pointing to a pattern of predatory behaviour, the complaint also stated that another police complaint had been filed against Chokkalingam back in 2010, after he was accused of harassing a student. The 2010 complaint was later withdrawn, allegedly after the school’s management convinced the student’s parents to do so.
According to the latest complaint, Chokkalingam also harassed a temporary teacher at the school, which led to her resignation on the same day.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education, which found credence to the allegations against Chokkalingam in 2024, closed the issue by transferring the accused to another school.
Education dept finds complaint ‘valid’
On July 12, a day after the complaint was registered, the National Federation of Indian Women had written a letter to S Kannappan, Director of School Education. They alleged in the letter that Chokkalingam had been harassing female students at the Chengalpattu government school for 10 years and requested immediate action against him and others who had been protecting him.
Within days, Chengalpattu Chief Education Officer (CEO) C Karpagam, and the then District Education Officer (DEO), Ravichandran, visited the school and conducted an inquiry. They concluded that the complaints against the teacher were “valid,” and transferred him as a result.
CEO Karpagam confirmed to TNM that the police have not yet filed an FIR, and said, “When we found out that such an issue existed, we transferred Chokkalingam to a co-education school in Kancheepuram district.”
The transfer order stated, “Chengalpattu District Education Officer on July 22, 2024, conducted a direct investigation and found that all the complaints received against the above teacher are valid and therefore transfers the teacher as he will create an unsafe environment for the female students if he continues to work in the same school, the female teachers will be affected and the school education department will be stigmatised.”
Chokkalingam has since been working at Madambakkam Government School in Kancheepuram district.
When asked why he wasn’t suspended when the department found the complaints to be “valid,” the CEO said, “He pleaded innocent when we inquired, citing he was visually impaired, and said he would accept a transfer. The then HM (Head Master) of the school also suggested that he be transferred. Besides, the complaint submitted to the police only requested that Chokkalingam be transferred.”
TNM accessed the complaint that was submitted to the police and found that no such request for transfer was made. The complaint instead called for appropriate legal action against the teacher.
As per a Tamil Nadu Government Order (GO) numbered 121 from 2012, issued to the School Education department, any teacher who misbehaves with students should be punished with compulsory retirement, dismissal, or termination. It is despite this rule that the officials chose to merely transfer the accused teacher.
‘Accused being protected’
According to a source who wished to remain anonymous, in 2024, the PTA representatives were pressured to withdraw the complaint against Chokkalingam by the school’s then HM MA William. “After the complaint was lodged, William threatened the PTA into withdrawing the complaint and tried to protect Chokkalingam. He assured the PTA representatives that Chokkalingam would voluntarily request a transfer to another school.”
However, the PTA refused to withdraw the police complaint, the source added.
In February 2025, William, now the HM at Karunilam Government School, invited Chokkalingam as one of the chief guests for his school’s annual day.
Speaking to TNM, child rights activist Devaneyan called for immediate action against the teacher and those who have been protecting him. “The GOs and guidelines that the state government has released over the years are proving to be not holistic. There is a need to bring about a holistic policy to safeguard child rights and ensure child safety.”
Despite repeated attempts, TNM did not receive a response from the Selayur AWPS.